2. 8 Campaigns and Elections Democracy in Action

3. Video: The Big Picture http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED IA_1/polisci/presidency/Magleby_Ch08_Campaigns_and_El ections_Seg1_v2.html 8

4. Video: The Basics http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg2_Elections_v2.html 8

5. I. Elections: The Rules of the Game Learning Objective: Assess the implications of election rules in the United States Although the Constitution sets certain conditions and requirements regarding elections, state law determines electoral rules 8.1

6. A. Regularly Scheduled Elections 1.Elections based fixed terms a. Party in power cannot change date even at times of war or national crisis 2. Congressional elections held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered year a. Presidential elections every four years b. Defining characteristic of US democracy 8.1

7. B. Fixed, Staggered, and Sometimes Limited Terms 1. Fixed Terms of Office. Specified not indefinite a. U.S. Representative = 2 years b. U.S. Senator = 6 years c. President = 4 years 2. Staggered Terms of Office a. All House members run every two years b. Only 1/3 of Senate also run every two years 8.1

8. C. Term Limits 1. President limited to two terms a. Twenty-Second Amendment 1951 2. Efforts to limit terms of state legislators a. State-level limits largely adopted in 1990s (15 states have term limits for state legislatures) 3. Proposals for federal office limits defeated by Congress and Supreme Court. a. Robert Byrd, W. Virginia was a senator from 1959- 2010 b. John Dingell Jr., Michigan is a house representative since 1955 8.1

9. D. Winner Take All 8.1 1. Plurality of votes wins a. Majority is not required b. Favors moderates because don’t want to waste the vote 2. Single-member districts a. Usually only one winner per office b. In combination with winner-take-all system, virtually guarantees two-party system 3. Proportional representation a. proliferation of minor parties b. could contribute to political instability and ideological extremism

10. E. The Electoral College 8.1 1. Electoral system a. Number of electors same as number of representatives and senators (CO Has 9) b. Electors vote for candidate who wins state c. Candidate with majority of electoral votes wins d. If no majority, House of Reps. Chooses e. States determine how electoral votes are conducted. 2. Electoral College influences politics a. Candidates must win in most populous states b. 2000 Election – Al Gore

11. Peculiar elections 8.1

12. TABLE 8.1: 2004, 2008, and 2012 battleground states 8.1

13. 8.1 Which office is limited to two four-year terms? 8.1 a.U.S. Representative b.Chief Justice c.U.S. Senator d.President

14. 8.1 8.1 Which office is limited to two four-year terms? a.U.S. Representative b.Chief Justice c.U.S. Senator d.President

15. II. Counting Votes Learning Objective: Identify problems associated with administering elections and evaluate proposed solutions to those problems 1.Votes are counted according to state law 2.Goal is to eliminate era, bias, and fraud 3.Different types of ballots are subject to miscounts 4.States have different requirements regarding registration and ID 5.Poll workers influence voting. 6.Provisional ballots used if necessary 8.2

16. Hanging Chad 8.2

17. 8.2 If registered voters are challenged, what are they allowed to cast? 8.2 a.Provisional ballot b.Absentee ballot c.Ballot by mail d.Write-in vote

18. 8.2 8.2 If registered voters are challenged, what are they allowed to cast? a.Provisional ballot b.Absentee ballot c.Ballot by mail d.Write-in vote

19. Video: In Context http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg3_Elections_v2.html 8.2

20. III. Running for Congress Learning Objective: Explain how congressional elections work and why they are generally not competitive Since 1970 96% of incumbent candidates win reelection WHY? Name recognition and financial support 8.3

21. A. The House of Representatives 1. Most House races are not competitive due to partisan gerrymandering 2. Incumbent and competition not funded equally 3. Presidential popularity influences elections, known as coattail effect 4. The pattern is “usually” that the Presidential party losses seats in the house during mid-term elections. Unless the president is popular and the economy is doing well. 5. 2010 2 nd largest gain of a party (democrats to republicans) since 1938 6. Usually incumbents are not challenged by opposition in their own party although this has happened to 6 Republican senators in past two elections 7. In order to mount a primary campaign a candidate must be organized, have money, and visibility. 8.3

22. FIGURE 8.1: Safe and competitive House seats, 2000–2010 8.3

23. B. The Senate 1. Higher profile therefore more competitive a.Six-year terms b.Only two senators per state 2. Higher cost of Senate campaigns a. Interest groups often commit more money to competitive races in smaller states (money goes further) b. Better financed than House races c. Incumbency still an advantage but not as much 8.3

24. FIGURE 8.2: Seats gained or lost by the president’s party in midterm elections, 1974–2010 8.3

25. Jean Schmidt 8.3

26. Figure 8.3: Rising campaign costs in congressional general elections 8.3

27. 8.3 Which of the following is more likely to be elected? 8.3 a.U.S. Senate challenger b.U.S. Senate incumbent c.U.S. House challenger d.U.S. House incumbent

28. 8.3 Which of the following is more likely to be elected? 8.3 a.U.S. Senate challenger b.U.S. Senate incumbent c.U.S. House challenger d.U.S. House incumbent

29. Explore the Simulation: You Are a Campaign Strategist http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/long_longman_media _1/2013_mpsl_sim/simulation.html?simulaURL=13 8.3

30. IV. Running for President Learning Objective: Describe the stages in U.S. presidential elections and the differences in campaigning at each stage 8.4

31. A. Stage 1: The Nomination 1.Candidates compete for delegates, at the state level, who go to the national convention and vote for them a. ¾ of states use Presidential Primaries to elect delegates (84% of Democratic delegates and 74% of Republican delegates) b. Some states use proportional representation or winner-take-all to allocate delegates c. Beside state primaries there are party caucuses, state conventions, or super delegates. d. CO uses a closed caucus system 8.4

32. Primary debate 8.4

33. A. Stage 1: The Nomination 1. Caucuses and conventions a. Delegates selected by party members, who than go to state convention and select delegates for national convention 2. Strategies a. Appeal to partisanship in primaries either by projecting yourself as more liberal or conservative b. Appeal to moderates in general elections 8.4

34. B. Stage 2: The National Party Convention 1.The party platform a. Defines the direction a party wants to take on policy 2.The vice presidential nominee a. Choice attracts wide media attention and usually balances out the ticket 3. The value of conventions a. Build unity and enthusiasm. Spotlight on up and coming candidates 4. Alternative Nomination: by petition a. Must meet each state’s ballot access requirements which range from relative simplicity and cost to increasing complexity and greater expense 8.4

35. Senator Marco Rubio at 2012 Republican convention 8.4

36. C. Stage 3: The General Election 1.Presidential debates are produced by a nonpartisan group a.Criticism that the debates are more of a “Joint appearance” instead of true debate b.Almost impossible for 3 rd party candidates to participate due to restrictions 2. Television and radio advertising a. More aggressive in battleground states b. Target ads to specific audiences c. Overall trend is more money being spent 8.4

37. Romney ad

38. C. Stage 3: The General Election 3. The Outcome a.State of the economy probably most deciding factor of who wins b.Also, voter turnout c.Money spent, 1 billion each in last election d.How the votes are counted can effect the outcome e.Voter identification laws can influence voter turn-out 8.4

39. 8.4 When is the party platform determined? 8.4 a.In primaries b.In caucuses c.At the national convention d.After presidential nominee is chosen

40. 8.4 When is the party platform determined? 8.4 a.In primaries b.In caucuses c.At the national convention d.After presidential nominee is chosen

41. V. Money in U.S. Elections Learning Objective: Evaluate the influence of money in American elections and the main approaches to campaign finance reform Where does the $ come from? Candidates own wealth Political Parties Supportive Individuals Interest Groups 8.5

42. Video: In the Real World http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg5_Elections_v2.html 8.5

43. A. Efforts at Reform: Goals: 1) impose limits on giving, receiving and spending 2) public disclosure of the source and use 3) giving governmental subsidies 1.The Federal Election Campaign Act 1971(FECA) a. limited amount candidates could spend b. required disclosure of funds c. PACs had to register with the government 2. 1974 Congress amended FECA (tightened restrictions) a.created Federal Election Commission b.provided money to partially fund elections c.Major provisions overturned in 1976 Buckley v Valeo. d.Free speech could not be limited for issue based advertising as long as money did not come from a corporation or union treasury *Until 2000 Presidential candidates accepted public funds 8.5

44. A.Efforts at Reform 1. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) 2012 AKA McCain-Feingold a. Enabled unlimited money to independent expenditure-only (issue only super PACs) b. Limited amount of money given to political parties for party building purposes (Soft money) *Ban on soft money upheld by the Supreme Court because it was perceived as a way to purchase influence???

45. FIGURE 8.4: Presidential primary cumulative receipts, 2011–2012 (millions of dollars) 8.5

46. FIGURE 8.5: Super PACs and million dollar donors 8.5

47. B. Resisting Reform 1.In Buckley v. Valeo (1976) the Supreme Court delineated issue ads from candidate-run ads. 2.Result: issue ads are largely indistinguishable from candidate-run ads AND usually more negative 3.In Citizens United v. FEC (2010) the Supreme Court rejected the long-standing ban on corporate and union treasuries. 4.Supreme Court decisions have made campaign finance a deregulated activity...

48. C. Continuing Problems with Campaign Finance 1. Costly campaigns only for the wealthy 2. Incumbents spend much of their time fundraising instead of legislating and therefore have the advantage 3. PAC money goes to incumbents, buys access 4. Campaign finance reforms haven’t addressed these specific problems 8.5

49. TABLE 8.2: Average campaign expenditures of candidates for House of Representatives, 1988–2010 general election 8.5

50. FIGURE 8.6: How PACs and others allocated campaign contributions to House candidates, 2009–2010 8.5

51. 8.5 What kind of contribution is limited, must be disclosed, and is given directly by a donor to a candidate? a.Soft money b.Hard money c.PAC money d.Super PAC money

52. 8.5 What kind of contribution is limited, must be disclosed, and is given directly by a donor to a candidate? 8.5 a.Soft money b.Hard money c.PAC money d.Super PAC money

53. VI. Improving Elections Learning Objective: Assess concerns (funding, presidential primaries/caucuses, electoral college) regarding presidential elections and reforms that have been proposed 8.6

54. A. Reforming Campaign Finance 1. Both sides are likely to agree that the Federal Election Commission needs to be changed, but won’t agree on how to change it.

55. 1.Disproportionate influence of the early primary states 2.Strong ideological bias of primary voters 3.Possible solutions: national or regional primaries 8.6 B. Reforming the Nominating Process

56. FIGURE 8.7: Voter turnout in the 2008 presidential primaries 8.6

57. 1. Direct popular election of president a. Most frequently proposed reform b. Would give every voter equal weight 2. Opposition to reform a. Would undermine federalism b. Encourage unrestrained majority rule c. Would hurt most competitive states 8.6 C. Reforming the Electoral College

58. 8.6 D. The Importance of Elections 1. Elections are complex a. The rules of the game affect how it is played. For example, winner-take-all 2. Elections are central to democracy a. Outcome must have legitimacy 3. Elections have undergone structural and institutional improvements a. Participation still most important aspect

59. Video: Thinking Like a Political Scientist http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg4_Elections_v2.html 8.6

60. 8.6 What is central to the functioning of a constitutional democracy? 8.6 a.A system of fair elections b.A two-party system c.A single-member district winner-take-all electoral system d.A proportional representation electoral system

61. 8.6 What is central to the functioning of a constitutional democracy? 8.6 a.A system of fair elections b.A two-party system c.A single-member district winner-take-all electoral system d.A proportional representation electoral system

62. Explore Elections and Campaigns: Is the Electoral College Democratic? http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/long_magleby_mpslgb p_25/pex/pex8.html 8.6

63. Discussion Questions What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of the electoral process? Has the way we elect a president been compromised by PACs and Super PACs? 8

64. Video: So What? http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA _1/polisci/presidency/Magleby_Ch08_Campaigns_and_Electi ons_Seg6_v2.html 8